


How To Get A Date

by Yatorihell



Series: In The Darkness [41]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, ノラガミ | Noragami
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-18 23:35:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14224257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yatorihell/pseuds/Yatorihell
Summary: Will Yato ever find a date?Thank you Emily (hiyoris_scarf) for beta-ing meAccompanying art by Pip (http://paperypiper.tumblr.com/post/154991413117/diving-headfirst-back-into-the-hp-au-no-one-stop)





	How To Get A Date

“Have you found out what the second task is yet?”

Suzuha had cornered Yato after dinner, his expression concerned as he grilled him about the next task. Yato’s eyes shifted to Yukine who stood behind him, equally concerned. Hiyori hadn't stopped bugging him either.

Defeated, Yato shook his head.

Suzuha sighed. “I can help you –”

“No,” Yato said quickly. “I can do this.”

Yato shouldered his bag, waving away Yukine’s protests of him to ‘stop being such a goblin and give Suzuha the bloody egg’ as he left the Great Hall.

He wanted to do it on his own.

Curfew came and Yato snuck up to one of the many bathrooms with the Golden Egg.

Secluded in the male Prefects bathroom – which had been abandoned for some time after a particularly nasty poltergeist turned the water into goo – Yato startled as the faucets turned themselves on.

Hot water gushed into the bath, which was more like a swimming pool. The grandeur of the bathroom stretched to the edges of the room, stained glass windows filtered a kaleidoscope of colours into the rippling water. The occasional bubble rose into the air before popping in a sparkle.

Yato threw his clothes to the side and cradled the Golden Egg in his arms as he waded into the pool. He hissed at the heat that crept up his chest as he sunk into the deep water, finding a ledge to perch on as he set the Golden Egg down behind him.

Yato averted his eyes from one window which depicted a mermaid perched on a rock, arranging her fair hair over her breasts as her head turned over her shoulder to look at him. He half-turned back to the Golden Egg, folding his arms on the ledge and resting his chin on his arms. He stared at it for a while, waiting for it to reveal the next task.

It didn’t.

Yato growled. He picked up the egg in one hand and turned back around, holding it just above the surface of the water. Bracing himself, Yato’s fingers twitched on the clasp.

 _Tell me,_ he pleaded.

Yato gritted his teeth, and in one quick movement he pulled the fixture and the eggs three curved sides fell open. The same ear-piercing screech accompanied the pearly globe inside the egg which bubbled with a faint golden light.

All too quickly Yato fumbled to close the egg, face scrunched and eardrums ringing, but the slipperiness of the water and the jolt that went through him sent the egg into the water with a loud splash.

Yato cursed under his breath, swiping away bubbles to see a watery glow shining up at him, the egg still screaming in his disappointed face.

No, Yato realised, this was… softer… sweeter.

Yato took a breath before plunging his head under the water. His hair drifted in front of his eyes as he reached down for the egg before he froze at the sweet swinging that met him the instant he was submerged.

 _Come seek us where our voices sound,_  
We cannot sing above the ground,  
And while you're searching ponder this;  
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,  
An hour long you'll have to look,  
And to recover what we took,  
But past an hour, the prospect's black,  
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.

His lungs burned for air, and the moment the sweet voice finished its final verse, Yato let his breath out with a rush of bubbles as he scooped up the egg and pushed himself back to the surface.

Yato gasped as he shook his hair from his eyes, holding the egg in his hands with a surprised reverence. He finally got the clue.

However, Yato didn’t consider what – or rather, who – would be taken.

 

~

 

Yato wandered into the Great Hall late the next morning, bleary-eyed from a night of dance practice by himself.

He squinted, seeing Kazuma sitting by himself and eating a fry up of sausages, tomatoes and eggs. Yato walked over, seating himself beside Kazuma.

“Morning,” Kazuma said. Yato moaned in reply, chin in his hand and staring at the cloudy ceiling which mimicked the one outside the window.

“So…” Kazuma said nonchalantly, continuing his breakfast as Yato stared up at the cloudy ceiling, “I heard that Manabu asked Hiyori to the ball.”

“What?!” Yato exclaimed, fist hitting the table in surprise as he spun around to face Kazuma.

 _I_ _seriously missed his chance to ask her?!_

Kazuma looked confused before realising Yato had no idea what had happened. “He asked her last night. She turned him down.”

Yato’s shoulders relaxed, tension leaving his body at the slightest hope that Hiyori was still available. “How do you know?”

“She told us this morning whilst you were probably still snoring your head off,” Kazuma tore into another sausage.

“You better hurry up and ask her before someone else tries.” Kazuma remarked after a pause.

Yato flashed him a glare, eyebrow arched. “And you better hurry up before someone asks Bishamon.”

Kazuma made a noise that was a mix of a hiccup and a choking sound as he dropped his fork and half-eaten sausage onto the table. A crimson stain seeped up from his collar, staining his cheeks in an undeniable blush.

“What’s that supposed to mean!” he spluttered, pushing his glasses further up his nose and regaining his composure. “You’re the one who needs a date!”

“You make me sound desperate, Kazuma.”

“You are.”

“Even Yukine got a date,” Kazuma said, rubbing salt into Yato’s wounds. At Yato’s questioning look, Kazuma prompted: “Suzuha.”

“Oh,” Yato said, but he didn’t know why he was surprised. They seemed to be as close as he and Hiyori were; it made sense that they would go together.

Yato rested his chin on his hand, destitute at his predicament. Picking up his cup, he took a long drink and thought carefully about his next move.

_A surprise proposal? No, too cheesy. What would she like?_

Apathetic of Yato’s woe, Kazuma stabbed at a second sausage on the plate in front of him.

“Also, Hiyori’s looking at you,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone, smirking slightly.

“WHAT?!” Yato said a bit too loudly, mouth dribbling slightly as he stopped drinking to spin around to look at the Gryffindor table behind him. Hiyori sat directly behind him on the opposite side of the table. She smiled at him and raised her hand in greeting.

Dumbfounded and blushing slightly, Yato raised his hand to wave back and attempted a casual smile, forgetting the pumpkin juice in his mouth which poured out of his mouth like an off-colour fountain.

Kazuma smirked as Yato quickly wiped his chin and turned away from Hiyori who covered her laughter with her hand.

“I told you,” he said, popping the last piece of sausage in his mouth, “she’s a catch.”

 

~

 

Yato barrelled into the library at first break. It was now or never, but he still had no idea what to do, let alone if it would be enough to persuade Hiyori to be his date. Still, he had one hope left.

Speed walking and avoiding the disapproving glare of the stone-faced librarian, Yato weaved through the book stacks to one of the quiet, tucked away spots where he found who he was looking for.

Yukine glanced up at the sound of quick paces heading his way, just in time to see Yato scraping a spare seat opposite him. Before he could ask what the heck he was doing, Yato dropped his fists on one of the open books that Yukine had just been reading, scattering balls of parchment across the desk.

“How do I get Hiyori to go to the ball with me?” he blurted out.

Yukine arched an eyebrow and leant back in his chair. He knew Yato was socially inept, but this was a whole new level.

“You say, ‘Hiyori, do you want to go to the ball with me?’”

At his blunt answer, Yato threw his hands up to the air as if seeking help from a higher power. Considering his dilemma, maybe it was the best chance he had.

“But how do I get her to like me?”

Yukine crossed his arms, looking thoughtful as Yato anticipated any advice he could give. After a moment a small smirk tugged at the corner of Yukine’s mouth and his eyes lit up as if he had a eureka moment.

“Have you tried _not_ being yourself?”

Yato’s hopeful face fell and he let out a frustrated noise, throwing one of the crumpled pieces of parchment at Yukine’s head as he doubled up in snorts of laughter.

“I heard about you and Suzuha,” Yato sighed. A smile tugged at his lips when Yukine turned pink and bowed his head over his books before Yato continued, “I’m proud of you.”

Yukine glanced up, a smirk pulling at his lips. “If I can do it then so can you.”

“How did you do it then?” Yato asked, leaning on his elbows.

“I asked as we were going to sleep – our beds are next to each other,” Yukine flicked a page of his book, “and I remembered you asking who I was going with, so I decided to ask him that night.”

Yato smiled at the table. “I can hardly do the same with Hiyori.”

“You could, but I fear what would happen if you made it past the enchanted dorm staircase, or if you lived long enough once Hiyori or Bishamon see you in the dorms.” Yukine’s smile twitched as Yato let out a big sigh and leant back in his chair.

At this rate, he was never going to get a date.

 

~

 

Yato still had made no progress by Wednesday morning, and Yukine had decided to take it upon himself to get the pair together.

Yato buried his head into a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ which had been abandoned on the table, hiding his flaming cheeks as Yukine started to talk about dates to the Yule Ball.

“Why didn’t you say yes to Manabu?” Yukine asked.

He glanced around Hiyori to shoot a look at the tuft of hair that belonged to Yato as his head raised slightly in interest. Yato adamantly kept the papers covering his expression from Hiyori who obviously hadn’t noticed that he was melting in to a puddle of embarrassment right beside her.

“He’s very sweet, but I don’t want to go with him.” Hiyori said carefully, stabbing her spoon back into her porridge.

Yukine raised his eyebrows in interest, eyes sliding over to Yato, whose head had snapped around to stare at the back of Hiyori’s head. Was this a hint for him to ask her out?

Determined not to let the chance go to waste, Yukine persisted in his questions.

“Hiyori, you could get any guy to go to the ball with you, they’re mad not to be queuing up for the opportunity to be your date,” Yukine wheedled, lavishing on the compliments as Yato stared daggers at him, warning him not to do anything stupid. “I mean, you are a girl, right?”

Hiyori gave him a bemused smile, cheeks glowing at the sincerity he showed in his compliments. “Well spotted.”

“Well, if no one else is going to ask, would you go to the b-mmMMM!”

Before Yukine could finish his question, Yato had sprung over in a split second to clamp his hand over his mouth. He wrapped his other arm around his struggling body and tucked him under his arm, loudly declaring that he needed Yukine’s help for an experiment.

Yukine secretly grinned at the reaction he provoked from the hopeless romantic, waving back at Hiyori as she called out a confused goodbye as she picked up the crumpled pages of newspaper Yato had scattered over his unfinished breakfast.

That afternoon there was another dance lesson as the Yule Ball was only one week away, and the end of term was that Friday.

Madame Kofuku directed the students who needed assistance, which was open to a number of fourth and fifth years who were coached thought the dance.

Hiyori watched as Kazuma and Bishamon danced together. Kazuma watched his feet as Bishamon followed his jerky lead before he swept her up into an easy lift that made her laugh aloud. Kazuma was so red that there was steam practically radiating from him, but when he looked up at her elated face during each lift, he melted.

Suzuha and Yukine on the other hand, were taking a gentler dance approach with no lifts. Even though Yukine knew what he was doing, all independent thought left him as he and his partner took their positions.

“Now put your hand on my shoulder,” Suzuha said. His hand was already on Yukine’s waist, light but strong.

Yukine turned a startling shade of red but did as he was told. Their hands found each other. He looked down at his feet, stiff as a board as he waited for instruction.

“Eyes on me.” Yukine dragged his eyes up slowly to meet Suzuha’s. He had a soft smile on his face, amused at Yukine’s tinting cheeks.

Their feet found a rhythm, one that let them be as close as possible with their breath intermingling, warm and sweet. Suzuha’s lips were parted in a smile, and Yukine couldn’t help but stare at them.

“See something you like?” Suzuha murmured.

Yukine’s blush didn’t go unnoticed, mainly because he didn’t bother looking away from Suzuha. Instead his eyes found Suzuha’s, and a wicked smile planted itself on his own lips.

“Maybe.”

 

~

 

Kazuma chewed over Yato’s idea, and after calculating the risk, decided that he wouldn’t embarrass himself by asking Bishamon to the ball and get rejected. She probably already had a date; she was the most beautiful girl in the school, after all.

What he didn’t take into consideration was for Bishamon asking him. Well, not in the way he would’ve expected.

“Hey, who are you going to the ball with?” Bishamon asked. They were sat in the library as usual, going over various books to study for their O.W.L. exams. Kazuma looked at her in surprise.

“I, uh, I’m -,” he started, trying to think of a coherent sentence to answer, or even a word.

“You are going, aren’t you?” she pressed. She had put her quill down, arm slung over the back of the wooden chair to face him head on.

Kazuma gave a single nod. “Yes.”

“Don’t have a date?”

“No…” Kazuma said. He expected her to say something about who she was going with, or that he didn’t need to take someone to the dance. Instead, she said:

“Well, why don’t we go together?”

Kazuma felt like a fish out of water, struggling to breathe and gaping at her proposal.

 _Together_? Like a _couple_? If this was heaven, he was there.

“We’re both Seekers for our teams, we’re both going alone, so…” Bishamon continued, and Kazuma came crashing back to earth.

Kazuma swallowed his disappointment. Even if they wouldn’t be a proper couple, it was more than he could’ve hoped for.

“I’d like that.”

 

~

 

Yato could have cried when he found out that he was the only person without a date. Well, him and Hiyori, who was his to-be-date.

Yukine watched Yato bang his head on the breakfast table, earning a mixture of annoyed and concerned looks from the group of Slytherins near them.

“Get a grip,” Yukine hissed, grabbing his shoulder and pulling a rather dazed Yato back up, “Hiyori’s going to notice.”

“What do I do?!” Yato wailed.

“Just ask her! She said no to Manabu for a reason, maybe it’s you!” Yukine sucked in a breath, “But if you don’t ask her right here, right now, I swear I’m going to do it myself.”

“Fine!”

Yato grabbed a piece of red-backed parchment that had been left on the table and snatched a quill out of his bag.

Yato scrawled a note, hand covering what it said from Yukine as he tried to sneak a look at what he was writing. He hunched his body more over the note as if it were a great secret, but Yukine had an idea of what he was writing:

_Hiyori, will you go to the ball with me?_

Yato quickly picked it up, allowing it to transform into a small scarlet envelope with a wax seal. It began fluttering away to the Gryffindor table on the other side of the room.

Yukine smirked as he too watched it glide away, anticipating the reaction Yato was about to give when he told him what he had just done.

“You know that parchment is what we use for Howlers?”

Yato’s eager face froze, eyes fixated on the note as it flapped its way down the Slytherin table before veering off towards its destination. His head snapped to look at Yukine’s expectant face, waiting for him to do something with a half-grin plastered on his face.

Instantly Yato was on his feet and sprinting down the aisle between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables. The note was out of reach, nearing Hiyori with every beat of its folded corners as if it was determined to get to the Gryffindor before he did.

The only option Yato had was drastic, but it was nothing compared to Hiyori opening that Howler in front of the entire school.

Time seemed to slow down as Yato vaulted over the table, knocking plates of toast and jugs of orange juice flying over protesting Hufflepuffs. His arm stretched out, eyes zoning in on the note as if it were the golden snitch and he were in the Quidditch World Cup.

His fingers closed around the paper, crumpling it in his fist as he landed on the floor.

Panting, he tore it up with such vigour that hardly any scrap of writing was legible. Relief washed through him as he looked up but was soon replaced by embarrassment as the first face he saw staring straight back at him was Hiyori, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

Flushing, Yato pushed his bangs away from his forehead, running his hand through his hair with a sheepish smile.

“Morning, Hiyori!”

Yato hurried out of the Great Hall without letting Hiyori reply. He felt everyone’s eyes on his as he vanished from sight, not hearing the quick footsteps coming after him.

Yato’s arm was caught by someone and he spun around head in his hands and muffled a scream as Yukine tried to comfort him through his laughter.

“It’s ok, you stopped it, it’s fine!”

“It’s not fine!” Yato was about to break. The stress of asking Hiyori out was too much. It would be much easier if he didn’t have to attend this stupid ball, but he had to.

“Just ask her next time you see her,” Yukine chided, “what’s the worst that could happen?”

 

~

 

The absolute worst could happen.

Yato didn’t mean it to slip out. Not that it actually did slip out – it screamed out.

Yukine had knelt on the Hufflepuff’s bench when he saw Yato pullingHiyori to the side of the Great Hall during the Christmas feast that Friday, the day before students could go home. His hands planted on the table as he watched the two talking, silently rooting for Yato whilst Suzuha looked on in good willed amusement.

Yato had finally gotten the courage to ask Hiyori to the ball, talking lowly and trying to be as charming as he could, but now his chances were being thwarted by a bunch of butterfly-conjuring witches and their ridiculous peaked caps.

“I was just wondering -,” Yato started before a cacophony of Christmas crackers drowned out the rest of his question, followed by the delighted screams as the girls plucked out paper hats and bad jokes from the messy table.

Hiyori smiled, asking Yato to repeat himself.

Yato swallowed hard. “Will you go -,”

A shriek of laughter erupted in his ear as first year students pushed past them and ran to and fro despite the Prefects trying to calm them.

Yato gritted his teeth. The laughter went on longer than he could bear, and Hiyori was right in front of him waiting for him to spit out the stupid question he had been trying to ask for weeks.

“WILL YOU GO TO THE BALL WITH ME?”

It was at this moment that the laughter cut off, leaving Yato’s shout to echo in the Great Hall and every head to turn to him and Hiyori.

Yato brought his fist to his mouth, trying to stop the words that had already escaped. Hiyori opened her mouth and shut it again, eyes wide and cheeks growing red

Yato’s horror was evident as he waited for her answer. If he was rejected in front of everyone, he would never live it down.

The eyes of the entire hall were on her and Yato, waiting with breath as bated as Yato’s for Hiyori’s answer.

Hiyori abruptly grabbed his arm, towing him out of the hall with such speed that Yato nearly tripped over his own feet to keep up. The excited chatter and whoops of their spectators faded as Hiyori pulled him down the corridor and into an empty classroom and shut the door.

Keeping her back to Yato, she rested her hands and forehead lightly against the door.

“Hiyori, I –,”

Whatever Yato was going to say quickly died on his lips. He had no excuse for putting her on the spot like that. _Could he have waited for a more private moment to ask?_ Yes. _Did he?_ No.

He fidgeted, the silence deafening as Hiyori raised her head and turned it slightly.

“Did you mean it?” she asked quietly.

Yato stared at her, taken aback by the question and the calmness in her voice. She turned around fully to face him, eyeing him levelly.

“Did you?”

“Y-yes,” Yato managed to reply. A thought quickly crossed his mind: _This is my chance._

Pulling himself up taller he strode across the room, not breaking eye contact with Hiyori. He stopped in front of her, battling down the nervousness which was threatening to choke his words.

Yato’s hand crept out to catch hers, their fingertips interlacing gently. His eyes were focused; raw and honest as he looked at Hiyori whose own had widen at the bold gesture.

“Hiyori,” he said softly, prepared for whatever answer he would receive, “Will you go to the ball with me?”

His sincere gaze and the gentleness of the question would’ve melted even the coldest of hearts. Hiyori, who’s own was fluttering rapidly against her chest, looked down bashfully, a delighted grin creeping onto her face. Compressing the smile, she looked back up.

Yato’s eyes showed a hint of worry as the silence dragged out, but Hiyori’s sparkling eyes betrayed her answer as Yato’s tormented expression dissolved into an elated grin.

“I’d love to.”

**Author's Note:**

> Weeeeee Yato and Hiyori are going to the ball!  
> A very… questionable fanfic was written involving the Golden Egg in the bath.  
> I think of Skinny Love by Birdy when these dorks are trying to get dates.  
>  


End file.
